Electrically remote controlled device attachable to switch box face plate for alternately actuating and deactuating the switch

ABSTRACT

A housing containing a solenoid whose plunger has a bar secured thereto is adapted to draw the bar inward upon energization thereof by, for example, an electric timer. The bar has a yoke on one end slidable in a slot in a wall of the housing. Means is provided for attaching the housing to the face plate of a wall switch box with the pivoted switch lever extending into the yoke. A tension spring normally urges the plunger outward from the solenoid and hence the yoke into a position where it holds the lever in the &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;off&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; position. Upon energization of the solenoid by the timer, the yoke swings the switch lever into the &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;on&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; position. Stop means are provided to limit the movement of the bar and its yoke between the &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;off&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; and &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;on&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; positions of the switch lever. The switch may be in circuit with any suitable electrical apparatus or equipment which is to be alternately activated and deactivated.

United States Patent [1 1 Goldberg 1 ELECTRICALLY REMOTE CONTROLLED DEVICE ATTACI-IABLE TO SWITCH BOX FACE PLATE FOR ALTERNATELY ACTUATING AND DEACTUATING THE SWITCH [76] Inventor: Abraham A. Goldberg, 44 Douglas St., Brentwood, NY. 11717 [22] Filed: Aug. 11, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 279,926

[111 3,753,173 Aug. 14, 1973 Primary Examiner-Harold Broome Att0meyFra.nk Ledermann [5 7] ABSTRACT A housing containing a solenoid whose plunger has a bar secured thereto is adapted to draw the bat inward upon energization thereof by, for example, an electric timer. The bar has a yoke on one end slidable in a slot in a wall of the housing. Means is provided for attaching the housing to the face plate of a wall switch box with the pivoted switch lever extending into the yoke. A tension spring normally urges the plunger outward from the solenoid and hence the yoke into a position where it holds the lever in the off position. Upon energization of the solenoid by the timer, the yoke swings the switch lever into the on position. Stop means are provided to limit the movement of the bar and its yoke between the off and on positions of the switch 1ever. The switch may be in circuit with any suitable electrical apparatus or equipment which is to be alternately activated and deactivated.

15 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures Patented Aug. 14, 1973 3,753,173

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 35a sea Patented Aug. 14, 1973 3,753,173

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ELECTRICALLY REMOTE CONTROLLED DEVICE ATTACHABLE TO SWITCH BOX FACE PLATE FOR ALTERNATELY ACTUATING AND DEACTUATING THE SWITCH Referring briefly to the drawing,

FIG. 1 is a partly diagramatic perspectiveview showing in full lines the instant device mountedvertically in working position against the face plate of a house wall switch box and in broken lines an electric timer connected thereto, the house wall being sectioned.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the instant device per se taken along the line 2-2 of FIG],

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 1, showing in side view the wall switch box whose switch lever is pivoted on a horizontal axis.

FIG. 4 is a rear elevational view of the instant device, as seen along the line 44 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view taken along the line 55 of FIG. 2, showing the solenoid plunger in section, and the yoke-ended bar in plan view.

FIG. 6 is a front view of the switch box face plate per se, showing the substitute screws which normally secure the plate to the box, and serve to permit attachment of the instant device to the box.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 77 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary view, partly in section along the line 88.of FIG. 4, and partly in phantom.

FIG. 9 is a wiring diagram.

FIG. 10illustrates in side view two modified forms of switch lever actuating yoked bars, with one thereof partly brokenaway and partly in section.

Referring indetailto the drawing, the numeral 10 designates the box-like housing of the instant device and the numeral 11 an electric switch box supported in a house wall 12. The face plate of the switch box is shown at 13 and it is provided with a centrally positioned longitudinal slot 14 through which the pivoted switch lever 15, not shownin FIG. 6, projects. Standard screws which hold the face plate against the switch box are not shown, as they are removed and substitute screws 16, described in detail below, replace the standard screws andregister in the screw-receiving portions 11a of the switch box.

The housing 10 includes two end walls 17' and 18, which, in FIG. 2, are the top and bottom walls, respectively, the front wall 19, the rear wall 20, and the two side walls 21. A solenoid 22 is secured in any desired manner to the end wall 17 and is positioned with its axis intermediate the distance between the side walls 21. The solenoid has a plunger 23 whose end portion is shown screw-threaded. A house switch actuating bar 24, preferably rectangular in cross-section, has on its right hand end, FIG. 2, a yoke 25'whose opposed jaws or arms 26 lie in a common plane which is parallel with the side walls 21. The bar is shown having a threaded hole 28 therethrough, FIG. 5, through or into which the lower end of the plunger is screwed to posito position the bar at right angles to the plunger. A tension spring 29 is mounted coaxial with the plunger; it has its lower end secured in a well 30 attached to the wall 18 and its upper end secured to the lower end of the plunger. Thus the spring tends to draw the bar 24 downward, FIG. 2. Obviously the bar 24 may be secured to the plunger 23 in any other suitable manner, and the spring may be secured to the bar directly below the plunger, not shown.

To constrain the bar 24 to movementin a plane parallel with the side walls 21, it is provided with two spaced holes 31 therethrough, through which extend parallel rods 32 which are secured to fixed bases 33 on the wall 18. A longitudinal slot 34 in the rear wall 20 lies in the plane of the yoke 25 and is dimensioned to permit free movement of the yoke 25 between its two extreme positions of which FIG. 8 shows one in full lines and the other in broken lines. The housing 10 is secured adjacent the switch box face plate 13 in a manner described below, with the switch lever 15 projecting into the yoke between its arms 26, as shown in FIG. 8. FIGS. 3 and 8 show this lever in its switch of position in full lines and in its switch on position in broken lines. Collars 46 are rigid on the guide rods 32 below the bar 24 to serve as stops to limit the distance the bar 24 and hence the yoke 25 can move toward the wall 18. Additionally, a collar is secured to the plunger at a sufficient distance from the solenoid to limit the distance the bar may be moved toward the wall 17 upon energization of the plunger.

The rear wall 20 of the housing 10 has, as seen in FIG. 4, passages or holes 35 therethrough, each of which has an intermediate portion 36 circular in outline and so positioned as to be alignable with the threaded holes 42, FIG. 7, of the switch box, and of sufficient diameter to permit the heads 37 of the screws 16 to pass therethrough. Additionally, each hole 35 has oppositely extending short slot portions 38 lying in a common plane parallel with the side walls 21, whose width is equal to the diameter of the screw stems 39. The screws 16 are shown having collars 40 fixedlysecured to their stems 39 at a distance rearward of the screw heads 37, which distance is equal to the thickness of the rear wall 20.

The yoke arms 26 are shown in FIGS. 2 and 8 as terminating in the plane of the outer surface of the rear plate 20. In some cases, however, it may be necessary to have these arms extend outward beyond the said surface. To accommodate for such variations, the yoke 25 is preferably secured to the bar 24 by a screw 41. FIG. 10 shows two bars 24a and 24b as having modified lengths of yokes 25a and 25b, respectively, as examples of such accomodations. Obviously, however, the yokes may be integral with the bars.

FIG. 1 shows the housing 10 upright in vertical position, that is, with its various parts positioned so that the bar 24 and its yoke 25 are moveable in a vertical plane as the switch lever l5 is in its off position when in its lowermost position and on in its uppermost position. To attach the housing 10 in the position shown in FIG. I, it is moved to the right, FIGS. 2 and 3, until the screw heads 37 pass through the circular passages 36, in which position the adjacent sides of the collars 40 lie in the same plane as the rear surface of the wall 20. Then the housing is pressed down manually to cause the screw stem portions between the screw heads and the collars 40 to register frictionally in the upper slot portions 38 of the passages 35. Such mounting brings the switch lever 15 to extend into the yoke 25, as shown in full lines in FIG. 8.

A light bulb 48 is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 in the front wall 19 of the housing 10, and FIG. 9 is a wiring diagram which it is believed unnecessary to describe in detail. A male plug 43 is mounted in the top wall 17 of the housing, with its contact fingers 44 clear of the wall so that a female plug 49, FIG. 1, leading from the output of a timer which may be a timer clock, may be connected thereto. Normally, the switch lever is in its of position, shown in full lines in FIGS. 3 and 8, and when the timer 50 causes energization of the solenoid its plunger pulls the bar and its yoke upward, causing the switch lever to be swung upward to its on posi tion as well as lighting the bulb 48. When the timer later deenergizes the solenoid, the spring 29 pulls the bar downward to its lowermost position whence the yoke 25 moves the switch lever 15 back to its off position.

The housing 10 may be made of any suitable material but an insulating material such as, for example, plastic, is preferable. The same is true of the bar 24 and the yoke 25.

In cases where the switch lever is in its on position when it is lowermost in the full line position shown in FIG. 2, then the housing 10 is secured to the face plate in an upside-down position opposite to that shown in FIG. 2, whence the passage slot portions 38 which extend downward from the circular portions 36 in FIG. 4, serve to have the screw stem portions between the screw heads and the collars 40 register frictionally therein. As seen in FIG. 1, an arrow is shown on the front wall 19 of the housing 10, pointing upward and having the word ON" appearing next to it. This directs the user to attach the housing so that the switch lever will be swung in the direction of the arrow to close the switch.

Some gem boxes have their switch levers pivoted on a vertical axis and have spaced laterally, one on each side of the face plate slot 14, a pair of holes through which standard screws pass to attach the plate. Merely for the purpose of clarifying the following feature, such holes are shown in phantom at 44 in FIG. 6. In order to attach the housing 10 in horizontal position to such a box, similarly spaced holes 35a, shown in phantom in FIG. 4, are provided on the two sides of the slot 34 in the rear wall of the housing 10. These holes 35a are identical to those shown at 35 and above described, and the housing is mounted horizontally by means of similar screws 16 which are first passed through the central circular hole portions 36a and then the housing is pushed manually in the direction toward the off position of the switch lever toregister the screw stern portions between the heads 37 and collars 40 frictionally in the proper slots 38a.

Once the housing 10 has been mounted as set forth to function in the manner described, the screws 16 which were substituted for the original face plate holding screws are left in place, so that whenever it is desired to reinstall the housing it will be extremely simple to do so.

Obviously, the circular holes 36 may each have only one short slot 38 extending therefrom, with both of these slots extending either toward the end wall 17 or toward the end wall 18, instead of having each hole 36 provided with two oppositely extending slots 38 as shown in FIG. 4. Thus two different housings may be manufactured, i.e., one for a switch lever which is, in the 011' position when in the position shown in full laterally with respect to the slot 34, as shown in broken lines in FIG. 4.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. An electrically remote controled device mountable closely adjacent the face plate of a house wall switch box which includes a switch lever pivoted on an axis and projecting outward through said face plate, said device consisting of a box-like housing having opposed end walls, opposed side walls, a front wall and a rear wall, a solenoid within said housing having one end thereof secured to one of said end walls and positioned with its axis intermediate the distance between said side walls, the solenoid having a plunger extending from the other end thereof, a bar attached to said plunger at right angles thereto and having a yoke on that end thereof facing said rear wall, the two arms of said yoke lying in a plane parallel with said side walls, said rear wall having a relatively long slot therein of substantially greater length than the width of said yoke and lying in the plane of said yoke, said yoke projecting into said slot and being slidable therein, resilient means normally urging said bar and said plunger toward the other end wall of said housing, an electric connector plug on one of said end walls, said solenoid being connected in series with said plug, said plug being adapted to be connected with the output circuit of an electric timer, a first limit stop means limiting the distance said plunger may be drawn into the solenoid upon energization thereof and hence move said yoke in said slot toward said one end wall, a second limit stop means limiting the distance said resilient means may urge said plunger and said bar and hence move said yoke toward said other end wall, means for securing said housing to said face plate in a position wherein said lever extends into said yoke between said arms thereof with said pivot axis at right angles to said long slot, the distance between said first and second limit stop means being substantially equal to the distance said lever moved between the switch off and the switch on positions, said resilient means normally maintaining said lever in said off position, said yoke upon energization of said solenoid by said timer output moving said lever into said on position.

2. A device according to claim 1, having additional means constraining said bar to movement in a plane parallel with said side walls consisting of two spaced holes through said bar, said housing having two similarly spaced rods anchored to said other end wall and extending through said two holeswhence said bar is slidable on said rods. I

3. A device according to claim 2, said first limit stop means comprising a collar fixed on said plunger and spaced between said solenoid and said bar.

4. A device according to claim 3, said second limit stop means comprising a collar fixed on each of said rods between said bar and said other end wall, said col- Iars being spaced equidistantly from said other end wall.

5. A device according to claim 1, said face plate having a first pair of spaced circular holes through which standard screws normally pass to secure the face plate to the switch box, said means for securing said housing lines in FIG. 3, and the other for a switch lever which is in the on" position in the said full-line showing. The same is true regarding the holes 36a which are spaced to said face plate comprising a second pair of spaced circular holes through said rear wall allignable with said first pair, substitute screws having heads of larger diameter than their stems and having collars fixed on their stems at a distance from their heads substantially equal to the thickness of said rear wall, said second pair of circular holes having a diameter equal to the diameter of said heads of said substitute screws, said rear wall having two short slots of a width equal to the diameter of said stems communicating with and extending in opposite directions from each of said second pair of circular holes, said short slots all having the same length and lying in the same plane as said yoke, the length of said short slots being at least equal to the diameter of said stems, said substitute screws being substituted for said standard screws and having said heads thereof engaging the inner surface of said rear wall and said collars engaging the outer surface of said rear wall and the stem portions between said heads and said collars registering in those of said short slots which extend in a direction from said second pair of circular holes toward said one end wall of said housing.

6. A device according to claim 5, having releasable means securing said yoke to said bar.

7. A device according to claim 6, said last-named means comprising a screw passing through a hole in the base of said yoke and registering in a threaded passage in said end of said bar.

8. A device according to claim 1, said face plate having a first pair of spaced circular holes through which standard screws normally pass to secure the face plate to the switch box, said means'for securigig said housing to said face plate comprising a second pair of spaced circular holes through said rear wall allignable with said first pair, substitute screws having heads of larger diameter than their stems and having collars fixed on their stems at a distance from their heads substantially equal to the thickness of said rear wall, said second pair of circular holes having a diameter equal to the diameter of said heads of said substitute screws, said rear wall having two short slots of a width equal to the diameter of said stems communicating with and extending in opposite directions from each of said second pair of circular holes, said short slots having the same length, said second pair of circular holes and the short slots extending therefrom lying in mutually parallel planes positioned on opposite sides of said plane of said yoke arms, the length of said short slots being at least equal to the diameter of said stems, said substitute screws being substituted for said standard screws and having said heads thereof engaging the inner surface of said rear wall and said collars engaging the outer surface of said rear wall and the stern portions thereof between said heads and said collars registering in those of said short slots which extend in a direction from said second pair of circular holes toward said one wall of said housmg.

9. A device according to claim 5, said front wall of said housing having an arrow marked thereon pointing in the direction of said one wall of said housing.

10. A device according to claim 8, said front wall of said housing having an arrow marked thereon pointing in the direction of said one wall of said housing.

11. A device according to claim 9, said front wall of said housing having an electric pilot light facing outward therefrom and connected in parallel with said solenoid.

12. A device according to claim 10, said front wall of said housing having an electric pilot light facing outward therefrom and connected in parallel with said solenoid.

13. A device according to claim 1, said face plate having a first pair of spaced holes through which standard screws normally pass to secure the face plate to the switch box, said means for securing said housing to said face plate comprising a second pair of circular holes through said rear wall positioned alignably with said first pair, substitute screws having heads of larger diameter than their stems and having collars fixed on their stems at a distance from said heads substantially equal to the thickness of said rear wall, said second pair of circular holes having a diameter equal to the diameter of said heads of said substitute screws, said rear wall having two short slots of a width equal to the diameter of said stems, each of said short slots extending from one of said second pair of circular holes in a direction toward an end wall of said housing and lying in the same plane as said yoke, said short slots having the same length, the length of said short slots being at least equal to the diameter of said stems, said substitute screws being substituted for said standard screws and having said heads thereof engaging the inner surface of said rear wall and said collars engaging the outer surface of said rear wall and the stem portions thereof between said heads and said collars registering in said short slots.

14. A device according to claim 13, said last-named end wall being said one wall.

15. A device according to claim 13, said last-named end wall being said other end wall. 4 i 

1. An electrically remote controled device mountable closely adjacent the face plate of a house wall switch box which includes a switch lever pivoted on an axis and projecTing outward through said face plate, said device consisting of a box-like housing having opposed end walls, opposed side walls, a front wall and a rear wall, a solenoid within said housing having one end thereof secured to one of said end walls and positioned with its axis intermediate the distance between said side walls, the solenoid having a plunger extending from the other end thereof, a bar attached to said plunger at right angles thereto and having a yoke on that end thereof facing said rear wall, the two arms of said yoke lying in a plane parallel with said side walls, said rear wall having a relatively long slot therein of substantially greater length than the width of said yoke and lying in the plane of said yoke, said yoke projecting into said slot and being slidable therein, resilient means normally urging said bar and said plunger toward the other end wall of said housing, an electric connector plug on one of said end walls, said solenoid being connected in series with said plug, said plug being adapted to be connected with the output circuit of an electric timer, a first limit stop means limiting the distance said plunger may be drawn into the solenoid upon energization thereof and hence move said yoke in said slot toward said one end wall, a second limit stop means limiting the distance said resilient means may urge said plunger and said bar and hence move said yoke toward said other end wall, means for securing said housing to said face plate in a position wherein said lever extends into said yoke between said arms thereof with said pivot axis at right angles to said long slot, the distance between said first and second limit stop means being substantially equal to the distance said lever moved between the switch ''''off'''' and the switch ''''on'''' positions, said resilient means normally maintaining said lever in said ''''off'''' position, said yoke upon energization of said solenoid by said timer output moving said lever into said ''''on'''' position.
 2. A device according to claim 1, having additional means constraining said bar to movement in a plane parallel with said side walls consisting of two spaced holes through said bar, said housing having two similarly spaced rods anchored to said other end wall and extending through said two holes whence said bar is slidable on said rods.
 3. A device according to claim 2, said first limit stop means comprising a collar fixed on said plunger and spaced between said solenoid and said bar.
 4. A device according to claim 3, said second limit stop means comprising a collar fixed on each of said rods between said bar and said other end wall, said collars being spaced equidistantly from said other end wall.
 5. A device according to claim 1, said face plate having a first pair of spaced circular holes through which standard screws normally pass to secure the face plate to the switch box, said means for securing said housing to said face plate comprising a second pair of spaced circular holes through said rear wall allignable with said first pair, substitute screws having heads of larger diameter than their stems and having collars fixed on their stems at a distance from their heads substantially equal to the thickness of said rear wall, said second pair of circular holes having a diameter equal to the diameter of said heads of said substitute screws, said rear wall having two short slots of a width equal to the diameter of said stems communicating with and extending in opposite directions from each of said second pair of circular holes, said short slots all having the same length and lying in the same plane as said yoke, the length of said short slots being at least equal to the diameter of said stems, said substitute screws being substituted for said standard screws and having said heads thereof engaging the inner surface of said rear wall and said collars engaging the outer surface of said rear wall and the stem portions between said heads and said collars registering in those of said short slots which eXtend in a direction from said second pair of circular holes toward said one end wall of said housing.
 6. A device according to claim 5, having releasable means securing said yoke to said bar.
 7. A device according to claim 6, said last-named means comprising a screw passing through a hole in the base of said yoke and registering in a threaded passage in said end of said bar.
 8. A device according to claim 1, said face plate having a first pair of spaced circular holes through which standard screws normally pass to secure the face plate to the switch box, said means for securing said housing to said face plate comprising a second pair of spaced circular holes through said rear wall allignable with said first pair, substitute screws having heads of larger diameter than their stems and having collars fixed on their stems at a distance from their heads substantially equal to the thickness of said rear wall, said second pair of circular holes having a diameter equal to the diameter of said heads of said substitute screws, said rear wall having two short slots of a width equal to the diameter of said stems communicating with and extending in opposite directions from each of said second pair of circular holes, said short slots having the same length, said second pair of circular holes and the short slots extending therefrom lying in mutually parallel planes positioned on opposite sides of said plane of said yoke arms, the length of said short slots being at least equal to the diameter of said stems, said substitute screws being substituted for said standard screws and having said heads thereof engaging the inner surface of said rear wall and said collars engaging the outer surface of said rear wall and the stem portions thereof between said heads and said collars registering in those of said short slots which extend in a direction from said second pair of circular holes toward said one wall of said housing.
 9. A device according to claim 5, said front wall of said housing having an arrow marked thereon pointing in the direction of said one wall of said housing.
 10. A device according to claim 8, said front wall of said housing having an arrow marked thereon pointing in the direction of said one wall of said housing.
 11. A device according to claim 9, said front wall of said housing having an electric pilot light facing outward therefrom and connected in parallel with said solenoid.
 12. A device according to claim 10, said front wall of said housing having an electric pilot light facing out-ward therefrom and connected in parallel with said solenoid.
 13. A device according to claim 1, said face plate having a first pair of spaced holes through which standard screws normally pass to secure the face plate to the switch box, said means for securing said housing to said face plate comprising a second pair of circular holes through said rear wall positioned alignably with said first pair, substitute screws having heads of larger diameter than their stems and having collars fixed on their stems at a distance from said heads substantially equal to the thickness of said rear wall, said second pair of circular holes having a diameter equal to the diameter of said heads of said substitute screws, said rear wall having two short slots of a width equal to the diameter of said stems, each of said short slots extending from one of said second pair of circular holes in a direction toward an end wall of said housing and lying in the same plane as said yoke, said short slots having the same length, the length of said short slots being at least equal to the diameter of said stems, said substitute screws being substituted for said standard screws and having said heads thereof engaging the inner surface of said rear wall and said collars engaging the outer surface of said rear wall and the stem portions thereof between said heads and said collars registering in said short slots.
 14. A device according to claim 13, said last-named end wall being said one wall.
 15. A device according to claim 13, said last-named end wall being said other end wall. 